One Week 'Til Sweet Sixteen
by Sky's Song
Summary: Inuyasha has one week to get Kagome home in time for her surprise birthday party, but Kagome wants to spend her day with her favorite dog demon. How far will Kagome go to get what she wants, and who is the mysterious demon trailing them? InuKag.
1. Prologue: The Problem

_One Week 'Til Sweet Sixteen by Sky's Song_

_Summery: Kagome's Mom has made Inuyasha promise to get Kagome back to her Time by her sixteenth birthday for a surprise party, but now he only has a week to do it. With a mysterious demon trailing them, and an invisible someone constantly slowing them down, will Inuyasha and Kagome ever make in back in Time? InuKag_

_Chapter One: The Problem: A Prelude to Events to Come_

_--_

The day was beautiful in the Feudal Era. The birds were chirping, the sky was clear, and everyone was in a good mood. Nothing about the day was giving any hint to disaster, worry, or hurt. These were the days that Kagome Higurashi wished could last forever.

Then again, she traveled with a short tempered hanyou who looked like he was just about to blow his lid. Kagome sighed, and sweatdropped.

"DAMNIT MONK!" Inuyasha had hauled a purple-robed Miroku in the air, and was shaking him with all his might. He had a look on his face as if he had just been told that he had three days to live. Miroku, on the other hand, was extremely calm and collected for someone being tossed about in the air. He seemed to be fighting an urge to roll his eyes too. "Why didn't you TELL me that it was Friday?"

"I believe I just did Inuyasha." The monk replied diplomatically.

Inuyasha stopped shaking him then, and brought him close to his menacing glare and gleaming sharp canine teeth. "Why," His voice was low and evil now, "didn't you tell me _sooner_?"

Miroku brought his cursed right hand up and rubbed his head in 'shameful' apology. "I told you as soon as it _was_ Friday." Truthfully, the monk was not sorry at all, and instead was very curious as to why this Friday was so important.

"That ain't good enough, Monk…" Inuyasha growled and raised his clawed fingers in threat. About this time, Kagome thought that maybe she'd have to actually do something to stop Inuyasha from hurting the poor perverted monk. It was too bad, too. She had been having a lovely breakfast.

"Inuyasha," Kagome called out in warning. Usually just calling his name would flatten his ears and send him off scowling, but for some reason, he wasn't giving in.

"Shut up, wrench!" Inuyasha yelled before focusing on his prey once again.

"Inuyasha, stop it! Miroku didn't do anything wrong!"

Sango and Shippou looked up from their breakfast on the other side of their fire. "That's not necessarily true…" Sango muttered angrily and rubbed her butt in a scowl. "Damn Hoshi."

"I said SHUT UP!" Inuyasha bellowed. "I say it's HIS fault, you damn useless woman!"

Kagome's eyebrow started to twitch. "Inuyasha!" Kagome's arms shot out strait in her intense anger. "OSWARI!"

Inuyasha cried out and smashed into the ground, the monk flying over him and landing in the dirt behind him. "Sorry, Miroku." Kagome said darkly.

Miroku looked at the darkened Miko wearily and put on the cheeriest face he had. "Heheheh.. Oh, it was nothing." Then he ran to hide behind Sango, fearing the black look she had been giving Inuyasha would be directed onto him.

"Useless am I?" She asked him, her head seemingly hidden in foreboding storm clouds. "Maybe you'd rather I be somewhere else?"

Inuyasha glared up at the girl. "Wrench.." He muttered and looked away.

"Say. That. Again." The atmosphere rang with electrical currents. Fire seemed to be bursting out of Kagome's body. She was a deadly force, and no one – _no one _– would even dare take her challenge.

Unless, of course, you're a stupid hanyou.

"WRENCH! WRENCH, WRENCH, WRENCH!" He climbed out of the hole he had been in and faced the said dangerous girl, who had literally frozen, save for the shaking of her angry fists. "Did you hear me yet, WRENCH? HUH? You STUPID, USELESS, WRE –!"

"Inuyasha."

The whisper stopped him dead in his tracks and even mid-syllable.

"Sometimes…" Her voice was so low, that it was impossible for anyone other than Inuyasha to hear her. "Sometimes you make me hate you."

Inuyasha froze.

Kagome stalked off into the woods, grabbing her bow and arrows on the way, so daintily that you never would have guessed her black anger from only moments ago. The only thing that spoke of her emotions were the tears that dropped to the ground, stinging Inuyasha's nose like an awful and hideous poison.

Kagome disappeared beyond the foliage of the nearby forest.

"GREAT, Inuyasha, look what you did THIS time." Shippou commented as he hopped to the dog demon's shoulder. Inuyasha's ears drooped and he pushed Shippou lightly off his shoulder, not even sparing enough energy to bop him on the head, and walked away in the opposite direction of Kagome.

"What's up with him?" Shippou asked, jumping this time to Miroku.

"I don't know." The monk said, sadly.

"Maybe he's truly sorry about what he did." Sango suggested as she finished her breakfast and fed the scraps to Kirara. "If that's the case, he should apologize."

"Why was he yelling at me anyways?" Miroku mused out loud.

Shippou and Sango looked over to the monk in question.

"What is so special about today?"

--

All Inuyasha had been thinking about that morning was about food and the battle they had the day before. When Inuyasha had asked Miroku what day it was, as he had so often that week, he was shocked speechless for a second, and then he went strait into anger. How could he have forgotten what day it was today?

He should have left the night before, but he hadn't known. He blamed Miroku because he had no idea what the days of the week were. He just knew that Friday was almost a week before he had to get Kagome back into the well. Why? Well, he had made a promise to Kagome's mom. A promise to get her back in time for a surprise party for her sixteenth birthday. He couldn't let down Kagome's mom. It wasn't just Kagome's _mom_, it was _Kagome's_ mom, if it made any sense. He wanted to make a good impression. That he took care of Kagome. He couldn't let Kagome be late.

It was eight days until Kagome was sixteen. He had eight days to take him and Kagome on a road that took nine to ten days to travel.

It was all the monk's fault.

But now… What was he supposed to do? Kagome said she hated him. Inuyasha's ears drooped even further into depression. He knew it was his fault. He riled her up. He called her names. He was mean and rude and crude, and he knew it. She said she hated him because of it.

"_Sometimes… Sometimes you make me _hate_ you…"_

Somehow, those words broke his heart more than the words "Die, Inuyasha!" ever did.

He was lost. He didn't know what to do with Kagome's hatred. He didn't know what to do with his feelings. The only thing he had left in his mind was the determination to get Kagome home in time. If that was the only thing he could do right, damn it, he would do it.

--

Kagome's anger had taken a hold on her, and she was stomping through the woods with no heed to danger apart from the weapon hanging on her back. Angry tears flooded her vision, and many times Kagome stopped to pound her fists against a tree to keep her emotions at bay. She refused to break down over this. She refused to be the weakling Inuyasha thought her to be.

A sudden sharp prick on her nerves brought her attention from her anger to her immediate left. A shikon shard was calling out to her, and the pulse was very strong.

Kagome looked back towards the camp. Useless was she? Well, if she got a shikon shard without anyone's help, then no one would complain about her being useless again! Especially not Inuyasha!

And then he wouldn't push her away all the time. So he doesn't want to celebrate her birthday or their anniversary (not that they were going out or anything…) So what. He didn't know what she wanted, and he probably never would.

Maybe this shikon shard would be the coaxing she needed. She griped her bow tightly as she made her decision. Angry determination, and a depressing urge to prove herself pushed her onwards.

Kagome ran through the bushes towards the light and calling in her mind. It wasn't far.

Kagome entered the clearing to come face to face with a centipede demon similar who pulled her down the well, except this one was smaller.

"It's MINE!" It yelled in its high pitched, screaming voice as it rushed at her faster than she could react, floating a foot off the ground. Its menacing eyes flashed as it grabbed Kagome and threw her across the clearing.

Kagome's senses screamed to her the pain she was in, and she started groaning and moaning in protest.

"I hate centipedes.." She mumbled to herself, wincing as she tried to get up.

Raising to a crouch, she pulled out her bow and arrow, cocking the arrow and aiming at the foul beast as it started to round for another attack. Her hands twitched in protest, and kept moving from point to point as she searched for the shikon's presence.

"Where is it?"

--

Inuyasha was back at camp by lunch, ready to ask Kagome to walk with him so he could apologize without the rest snickering at him. He couldn't handle her being angry with him… And what if she really _did_ hate him? He shivered and denied the possibility with all his might. She had said "sometimes," he reminded himself. Usually she said that she liked him even though he was a hanyou. He was so confused. Which was it? Hate, or friendship, or… maybe love?

He needed to tell her that he was taking her home, too. How could he tell her that, though? "There's a surprise party waiting for you, so let's go." It wouldn't work. He would have to do some coaxing. And he couldn't tell the others. Miroku was careless. Sango and Shippou told Kagome everything. Kagome's mom had pressed upon him the importance of her never knowing about the party until she walked in the front door.

Unfortunately, Inuyasha's plan was wasted as he realized that Kagome was not back at camp yet.

"Kagome?" He called out. "KAGOME?"

His head snapped towards his other companions, who looked at him strangely. "Where the hell is Kagome?"

"We thought that you would have gone after her." Miroku said truthfully.

Sango stood up quickly, and her intense gaze attracted Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippou's attention to wear Kagome was staggering out of the forest, light trails of blood following her.

Inuyasha's heart almost stopped. Everything froze in his mind, and all sounds became mute. "KAGOMEE!" His voice barely broke the silence in his mind, and no matter how fast he ran, somehow he seemed slow.

He reached her side though, and quickly scooped her up into his arms. She had been wounded by a demon, and she was weak. She collapsed against him and clung on to his clothes as he lowered her to the ground.

"Kagome..?" Inuyasha's voice was now soft; as if afraid he'd break her.

"I'm alright." Kagome insisted with a tired chuckle. "Just a little… little feint. Lost some blood. I'll live."

Inuyasha hugged her fiercely and buried his face in her neck. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" He chanted over and over again, and he breathed in her scent.

"Inuyasha, Inuyasha…It's okay," She looked at him tenderly, but her voice was firm. "And I'm _not_ dying." She smiled softly. "Calm _down_, I just need some sleep. My wounds aren't even deep. They just… hurt a little."

That seemed to snap Inuyasha out of his miserable daze. He looked down at her scratched skin with fire in his eyes. "Who did this." His growl was deep and furious.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Centipede demon. Killed her."

His golden orbs found their way back to hers. Shouting suddenly muddled his thoughts and he realized that the others were catching up to him. He quickly regained his senses, realizing how ridiculous he'd been before. Of course she wasn't going to die. What was he thinking? It was obvious that the wounds weren't bad. It was probably all that hate talk getting to him.

"Kagome, Kagome!" Shippou was crying and he jumped to her side and hugged her neck tightly.

"It's alright, runt." Inuyasha said gruffly. Kagome was slightly amazing at how he had gotten over his emotions quickly and hid them. "She just needs some rest."

Inuyasha walked away from her a few feet, handing her over to Sango and Miroku's inspection. When they decided to set up camp to let Kagome sleep off her wounds and recover a little, Miroku offered to carry her back, Inuyasha hit him on the head and gently picked up the dozing girl.

He smirked as he heard Miroku complaining in the background.

Then, it hit him.

He had an excuse to take her home. And what was better, he could use speed as an excuse to get spend some time alone with Kagome, something they hadn't done in months. Now all he had to do was get Kagome there in a week!

His smile slipped off his face.

Damn it, this was going to be harder than he thought.


	2. Day One

_One Week 'Til Sweet Sixteen_

_Summery: Kagome's Mom has made Inuyasha promise to get Kagome back to her Time by her sixteenth birthday for a surprise party, but now he only has a week to do it. With a mysterious demon trailing them, and an invisible someone constantly slowing them down, will Inuyasha and Kagome ever make in back in Time? InuKag_

_Chapter Two: Day One_

Kagome woke up and realized first that it was nighttime. She sat up carefully, remembering her wounds, and looked around. Their camp had moved off the road and farther into the trees, though the trees were extremely thin where they were. She also noticed that the fire had gone out long ago, and her sleeping bag seemed to be farther away from the others than she was used to. Shippou was also not sleeping with her.

Kagome smiled softly, knowing that it was probably Inuyasha who had made them give her room. She wanted to thank him, but he was probably sleeping by now.

Kagome, having nothing better to do, began to lift her shirt to poke and prod her wounds, when she realized that the scratches were already fading. Kagome gasped and quickly pulled her shirt down, looking at her companions, checking to see if they were truly asleep. She looked back at her belly when Kagome was reassured.

"What was that?" She murmured to herself. It couldn't have anything to do with what happened before, could it? Kagome smiled. Of course it did. She had nothing to worry about, as long as she didn't tell the others that her wounds had healed over night. She had a sneaking suspicion that she shouldn't tell the others what exactly had happened in there either. It might prove useful in the future…

Feeling unreasonably hot, Kagome unzipped her sleeping bag and pushed herself off the ground. She winced from slight pain, and looked at her hands in question. Her hands, unlike her other wounds, had not healed and were covered in small cuts and scabs. Where did she get these again? An image filled her mind of herself slamming her fists against trees to get out her anger. This time when Kagome winced, it was from shame.

"Stupid, stupid of me." So was her excursion into the woods, but that had seemed to turn out alright. It was fine that her hands weren't healing anyways; it wasn't the centipede that had inflicted those wounds, so maybe they weren't known.

At this point, lying back against the tree nearest to her sleeping bag, Kagome was at a loss of what to do. She felt like she wanted to jump up and run around, not fall back asleep, even though it was well into the night. Morning, Kagome corrected herself as she saw the horizon lightening. She didn't dare go off into the wilderness by herself again to burn off some energy. Inuyasha would be furious.

Thinking of Inuyasha, reminded her of what Inuyasha had been telling the others while she was pretending to doze. Actually, it was just by accident that she had over heard what they were saying, since it seemed that though her body didn't want to move, her mind was as active as ever at one in the afternoon. But, with her eyes closed, Kagome had no other amusement than to listen to Inuyasha talk. It of course had nothing to do with how sexy he sounded, because he certainly wasn't sexy. Not much at least. Well, maybe a little. Or a lot. She was honestly lucky that she fell for such a good looking guy. Really, those muscles and the eyes… Those teeth were amazing too. And his ears –

Kagome suddenly realized she had drifted from her mind's topic. She shook her head and started actually thinking about what Inuyasha had _said_.

"_I need to take Kagome home." He had sounded grumpy as he told their friends this. "She needs to be home in a week. Or a week starting tomorrow."_

"_Does this have to do with injuries, or something else?" She heard Miroku ask._

"_Both." Inuyasha stated, with no intention of continuing onto the why, which left Kagome frustrated. "I'm going to take her, because you guys will slow me down."_

_She heard Miroku's frustration at his ignorance, and the curiosity of Sango and Shippou even though they didn't seem to be saying anything more. Kagome decided that Inuyasha was probably giving them a warning look to keep them quiet._

_Kagome found it strange that Inuyasha wanted to take her _home_ and not just to Kaede's, but she didn't question him._

Now as Kagome thought about it, it seemed even stranger. Why to her time? Why in one week? What was so important in a week from now? What day was it anyways? Kagome thought really hard, and smiled as the date came to her. _So, add on seven and I get…_

Kagome's thought trailed to a halt as she realized why she had to go home, and her mind buzzed.

It was her birthday in one week. Inuyasha was taking her home for her birthday, for their anniversary... uh, of meeting each other. Before she thought he just didn't want to acknowledge it, that's why she hadn't mentioned it to him, but to actually force her away from it?

Oh ho, not today buster. Kagome was writhing with anger once again. How could he? How could he just abandon her on the most important day of her life? Or, at least, this year? Didn't he realize what she wanted? No, of course he didn't realize, he couldn't possibly realize that she wanted to be with him for her birthday, even if they were just friends.

"Stupid Inuyasha," Kagome muttered. "I'll show you."

Kagome balled up her fists and leaned her head down onto them with a sigh. It was going to be a long couple of hours before she could start making breakfast noises. But she wasn't without thoughts; she had an idea.

--

It was nearing five o' clock when Inuyasha's eyes flickered open and he gazed around the area, squinting in the light. After he regained his focus, he remembered the day before and all that happened. He quickly looked to Kagome's sleeping area and found it blank; a sharp lump grew in his throat, but before he could panic, his nose informed him that she was near by.

He dropped down from his tree to search for her, and almost squashed the girl who was just dazing off into space at the foot of his tree. He was startled into falling over.

"What the hell, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked irritated as he assembled himself into a crouch, his face inches from hers. It didn't do well for him to be startled.

Kagome blinked at him, as if just realizing he was there; her eyes narrowed for a second before they widened again and she smiled. "Goodmorning, Inuyasha!" She said in a soft, sing-songy voice, careful to not be too loud. "How are you today?"

Inuyasha just grumbled about cheery early birds while looking at her suspiciously, and asked her if she felt okay enough to travel.

"Yeah, that would be great." Kagome smiled sweetly. "I'm sorry I made you worry Inuyasha. Yesterday, I mean."

Surprised at the sudden, cheery apology, Inuyasha looked at the girl. Shouldn't _he_ be the one saying sorry? And wasn't she mad at him? Didn't she hate him or something? "Keh!" Inuyasha turned his head the other way. "I wasn't worried. I don't worry. At all."

For a second, Kagome seemed to deflate a little, before jumping up (startling a disgruntled hanyou for the second time that morning) and stretched her arms to the sky. Kagome also chose to ignore Inuyasha's comments. She tiptoed over to her bag, dug around a little, and pulled out a match, a tea kettle, instant ramen, a collapsible grill, and some tongs.

"Inuyasha, if you go catch something for the others," Kagome snapped the tongs experimentally. "I'll make you some ramen!" Inuyasha eyed the could-be-weapon nervously. If she was mad, this would be when she would act, if he didn't cooperate. Somehow, Inuyasha didn't think that starting their one-on-one journey with a lump on his head would do him any good.

"Keh, I'll get the damn food." Inuyasha mumbled and he jumped into the thicker parts of the woods, leaving Kagome along with the starting of the fire.

Needless to say, when Inuyasha arrived back with two rabbits to a wide-awake camp and his delicious breakfast, he was slightly intimidated by the overly cheery woman who was supposed to hate him. Especially after he explained to them the plans they had, and she didn't even flinch. He suddenly did not like the idea of him and Kagome being alone; she had an evil glint in her eye.

Kagome mounted the dog demon after all her stuff was packed, and they bounded off on the road, leaving the others behind.

"What the hell is going on?" Miroku asked no one in particular as they watched them disappear.

"It's one week until Kagome's birthday." Shippou said dully as he dusted off his fingers for show. He watched the affect of his comment out of the corner of his eye, doing a wonderful job of hiding his pleasure from it.

Miroku's eyes widened and Sango gasped and put her hand to her mouth. "Her birthday?" Miroku asked.

"I remember her telling me two or so weeks ago when it was, but I completely forgot!" Sango muttered to herself worriedly. "I didn't even wish her a happy birthday…"

"Don't worry about that." Miroku said slyly. "I'm sure now that Inuyasha's reason for taking her away is to get some time alone with her… That sly dog." He chuckled at his thoughts and shook his head. "I should have known it was something like that." He then turned to Sango, who had been listening with a raised eyebrow. "And now, it's just you and me, Sango dear…"

Sango pinched his hand as it started to inch around to her backside. "And Shippou, you pervert."

Shippou smirked at the two as Sango continued to smack Miroku until three lumps appeared on his head. Miroku rubbed the abused cranium with watery eyes, and started talking again. Poor guy doesn't know when to shut his mouth. When Miroku finally got his share of lumps, he turned back to the young kitsune.

"Why didn't you tell us before they left?" He inquired of Shippou, who was once again hiding his pleasure at knowing everything.

"I think Inuyasha considered it a private matter." Shippou was truly enjoying the part he was playing in the conversation. "Besides, who knows what _someone_ might do to Kagome for her birthday." Shippou eyed the hentei.

The monk raised a hand in defense. "I assure you that all my gifts to her are sincere and innocent." Miroku smiled distantly.

"Sure they are." Sango glared at him, and he sweatdropped.

"Heh.."

"Anyways," Shippou continued. "Kagome's going to be celebrating with her family."

"Ah, yes. I bet you anything that our dear Kagome-sama is looking forward to this party with her friends." Miroku said.

"And she'll 'oswari' Inuyasha into tomorrow if she's late." Sango added.

They both sighed, wondering if the two were ever going to get along.

"Actually, that's not entirely true…" Shippou interrupted their thoughts with a casual drawl.

"Shippou, were you spying on them when they were discussing this?" Sango looked at the kit curiously.

"Nope!" Shippou smiled. "They didn't discuss it. They have no idea what each other's intentions are!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeeep!"

Miroku eyed the little kid suspiciously. "Then how in the world did you discover this?"

"That's for me to know, and for you to wonder about the rest of your lives." Shippou said evilly and looked over at an innocent Kirara. "Right Kirara?"

"Mew."

--

"Inuyasha,"

The hanyou jerked in surprise at hearing his name and fell from the tree he was jumping to and landed flat on his face. Inuyasha's face then turned beat red because one, he just fell out of a tree, and two, Kagome who had been hitching a ride on his back was now straddling him and was pressed tight up against him.

"Oww.." Kagome complained as she climbed off the dog demon. "What the heck was _that_ for?" She asked as she dusted off her normal school outfit. Inuyasha followed suit, looking the other way the entire time. "You're pretty jumpy today."

"No I'm not!" He shrieked at her. Kagome didn't react, and only stared at him. His angry glare faltered, and he looked away in a huff before she could catch it.

"You're acting awfully strange!" Kagome accused and poked him in the back. He winced. "Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

"No!" Inuyasha yelled.

"Hmph!" Kagome looked away and waited there, standing in front of him, tapping her foot.

Inuyasha started to get nervous. "Uhh.. Kagome?"

"What?"

"What'd you want anyways?"

"I have to go to the bathroom. Are there any demons around?" She said this without looking at him, and Inuyasha felt really horrible for no reason at all.

"No," He muttered and sat down in the dirt. Twenty minutes later, Kagome came back around the bushes wiping her hands on an anti germ thingy… he didn't catch its name… and Inuyasha picked her up piggy-back style again.

An hour later, she had to go to the bathroom again. Two hours after that, she had to go _again. _And she was hungry. It was like Kagome was punishing him for something.

Somehow he knew that it was going to be a _long_ day.

--

The only good thing about the day, for Inuyasha, was that he at least convinced Kagome to let them keep going until nightfall. Kagome set up the camp quickly, cooked him some ramen and feel asleep even before he had finished it. Cocking his head to the side, he looked at the girl. Had he pushed her too hard today? Maybe all her wounds made her want to take rests, and she used 'the bush' as an excuse to get a break. If she was hurting it was his entire fault for not protecting her, and for not giving her enough breaks on their journey.

Then again, she _was_ strong…

Suddenly, Kagome started to toss and turn, caught in a nightmare. Curious, and wondering if he should wake her up, he sat next to her, listening to was she was saying. "No!" She muttered to herself. "Times two… logarithms… that's wrong." Then, she was silent, a frown pressed into her skin. Inuyasha, tempted by her scent, lifted his hand and extended his finger, lightly touching her face.

"Kagome…" She always had simple dreams. She once told him that her nightmares were usually about math. Honestly, Inuyasha would give anything for a nightmare about math, though he knew nothing about it. Kagome was lucky to be running from logs (whatever that meant) instead of demons. Her hands were soaked in ink, instead of blood. She was lucky, really, and he was glad.

Suddenly, Kagome smiled and relaxed, sighing against his touch. As Inuyasha had been engrossed in his thoughts, he was startled into pulling his hand away quickly, leaving a hint of a scratch from his nail. He winced and rubbed it slightly, worried, but knew that it'd be gone in the morning. She probably couldn't even feel it. However, Kagome tensed up again and frowned as he pulled away and was once again caught up in her nightmare. "Pythagorean theorem! Uhh… I can't remember…"

_Was that my fault?_ He wondered. She had only just calmed down from her nightmare! _Or was it because…_

More curious than worried now, Inuyasha extended his finger again, concentrating so as to not hurt her again. He ran his finger across her smooth skin, and once again, Kagome relaxed and smiled. "Weird," He said out loud, trying to convince himself that that was all it was, and it didn't please him in the least. _So I can calm her?_

He pulled away again, and Kagome frowned. This time, he returned by placing his entire hand on her cheek. For a moment, she was just sleeping there, smiling dreamily, and Inuyasha was swept up in the blissful happiness that _he_ gave to her. He didn't notice until it was too late that Kagome's hands hand reached up and wrapped around his arm, pulling him down and hugging his hand tightly.

"Gahh!" Inuyasha's other hand waved in the air to stop himself from falling backwards, but to no success. He fell and was now closer to Kagome than he had ever been before, and she was snuggling his right arm.

"Damn it." He muttered._ What the hell do I do now? If Kagome wakes up, she's going to be pissed. Or so embarrassed that she'll sit me forever. Maybe if I just pull my arm out really quickly? No… then she'll wake up and yell at me for waking her up. Damn it!_

Having nothing better to do (it had nothing to do with the fact that Kagome just sighed his name), Inuyasha began to take interest in his position. He could feel the heat from Kagome's body seeping into his arm, held tightly against her body. Her cheek was snuggled on his biceps and he could feel her lips through his firerat sleeve… A hot blush crept it's way onto his cheeks, and he looked away. This was definitely a predicament…

About five minutes and a blushing hanyou later, Kagome rolled away, leaving his arm cold and yearning for more. _Stupid arm,_ He thought. He jumped into the nearest tree before his arm could be captured again, trying to figure out whether he wanted it to happen or not.

--

Once again, Kagome found herself waking up in the middle of the night, restless. She wasn't sure what had woken her, but she was sure it had nothing to do with her strange dreams. First there was a nightmare, where she was being chased by numbers, Fs, and logs; not to mention the horrifying fact that should couldn't remember how to use most of the required equations. She sighed. That had been extremely frightening, but, interrupting her dream was a strange warmth that really had no pictures to it, but she was sure it had something to do with arms? She wasn't too sure, but it made her feel good.

Sitting up quietly, attempting to not disturb the sleeping hanyou who was probably near by in a tree, Kagome slid out of her sleeping bag and looked around. It was true that she had been extremely annoyed with Inuyasha that day, and she didn't feel those emotions relenting. She was mad at him, in a sense, but not entirely. She didn't want to be mean.

She just hoped that the next day, things would work out better for her.

She waited for her eyes to adjust before thinking or doing anything else. Then, her eyes traveled to her backpack.


	3. Day Two

_One Week 'Til Sweet Sixteen_

_Summery: Kagome's Mom has made Inuyasha promise to get Kagome back to her Time by her sixteenth birthday for a surprise party, but now he only has a week to do it. With a mysterious demon trailing them, and an invisible someone constantly slowing them down, will Inuyasha and Kagome ever make in back in Time? InuKag_

_Chapter Two: Day Two_

Kagome woke up to screeches and an angry hanyou seething with malice. She was actually afraid that Inuyasha had turned demon during the night, but was immediately relieved by his actions; though they weren't exactly calming...

"WHERE THE HELL IS MY RAMEN!" Inuyasha screamed at her, as if blaming _her_ for their disappearance.

"What?" Kagome muttered sleepily as she got out from her bed. "What are you babbling about Inuyasha?"

"My ramen!" He said again, earnestly. "It's gone!"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "You ate it all last night, you dummy. Don't go blaming—wait a minute." Kagome's eyes widened in realization before they filled with their own anger (and embarrassment). "Have you been through my backpack?"

Inuyasha looked a little less menacing. "Uh, well... yeah." He shifted uneasily, before regaining his posture. "But that's not the point! It's gone! All the Ramen is GONE!"

Obviously, this point was supposed to bring Kagome onto Inuyasha's side because ramen was a very important ingredient to life in general.

Needless to say, she did not heed a single word he said.

"You went through my BACKPACK?" Now Kagome was screaming. She stood up and stomped over to Inuyasha, pulling herself up to her full height while the dog demon seemed to shrink. "How many times have I told you NOT to touch it? It has my PERSONAL THINGS in there! My books; my clothes; my tampons; and my UNDERWEAR! That's all MINE!"

Inuyasha cocked his head curiously. "What's a tampon?"

"NEVER MIND!" She stopped her foot and Inuyasha sunk right back into his 'please don't sit me I'm truly effing innocent' (which also didn't seem to work on Kagome).

"How DARE you go through it?" She paused, and Inuyasha took this as his cue to explain himself. Of course, he should have known that speaking and explanations would just make it all worse.

"Well… uh, I was hungry…"

"You were HUNGRY were you?" She glared at her hanyou. "Well, you won't be getting any more food from _me_ since you don't have ANY respect!"

Anger sparked in his eyes again. "Hey, wrench, that ain't fair!" He was going to tell her off for being rude to _him_, a demon and her protector, and even her friend (he was, wasn't he?), but Kagome had other ideas.

"OSWARI!"

Inuyasha slammed into the ground. "Ouhh… What the HELL Kagome?"

"OSWARI!"

BAM. "Ahh, stop it!"

"Oswari, oswari, oswari!" Kagome screamed as the ground started to adopt an Inuyasha-shaped hole. "Next time you even _think_ about going through my things, just think of OSWARI!"

With that last phrase causing ripples through the air, Kagome stalked off to make her own breakfast, wash her face, brush her hair and teeth, and do other morning-type things, leaving the poor misunderstood Inuyasha in the dust and dirt.

--

Shippou looked up curiously from the chain of flowers he was making for Kagome when she came back from her time.

"What's wrong, Shippou?" Sango asked the kitsune as she was petting Kirara.

"Nothing." Shippou replied and went back to his daises. "I just thought I heard some loud bangs and someone yelling. Coulda been hearing things."

"Oh." Sango went back to her attentions on Kirara.

--

Not long after Inuyasha recovered from his subdued state, the pair was off again, Inuyasha running hastily along the road with the pretty miko on his back. Extremely close against his back. Intimently close. In fact he could feel her soft bosom pressed against his shoulders… and her legs were wrapped around him, and her scent was incredibly—

Inuyasha stopped himself. _Damn it, we are NOT going there. Especially while on the move._ He started to get a grip on his emotions; a good thing because otherwise, he would have only made things harder for himself. No pun intended.

Unfortunately for Kagome, she was having similar thoughts about his well muscled back, how wonderful it felt to be pressed up against him, and she kept thinking about his butt. Kagome tried her hardest without success to not give in to her hormones, but to no avail. The jarring ride just made it all worse.

Attempting to distract herself from her utmost attraction to who must be the rudest person on Earth, Kagome tried to spark conversation. "Inuyasha," She said into his ear so he could her. He looked at her, startled that she would commit herself to speaking with him, but at least he didn't fall down this time. _What was up with that time anyway?_

Kagome ignored her thoughts and went back to what she had to ask Inuyasha. "Before… when you were yelling at Miroku, why were you angry?"

It was for her part, a reasonable question that had been bothering her ever since she witnessed it (though for a time it had been banished by other thoughts; her uncomfortable situation had resurrected it), and her curiosity sparked into a flame when she saw Inuyasha wince, and then cover up the emotion with anger. _Ah, so he is hiding something, is he?_

"Why the hell do you care?" He demanded harshly.

"Well, you were incredibly rude to Miroku!" Kagome countered.

Inuyasha adopted a look of indifference. "And, so? Why the hell would _I_ care? It's not like I hurt his feelings!" Inuyasha sneered at the mere thought of the perverted monk actually feeling bad about anything said to him…

Kagome huffed. "Oh really, well how should I know that? I don't know what it was about and I was hoping you could _enlighten_ me since you seem to be 'the one of all knowledge.'" Her sarcastic tone did not fall on ignorant ears, but the dog demon did not stop running to argue. Instead, he just glared and shouted over his shoulder, right in her mutual face, while he continued forward.

"You know what bitch? I'm getting tired of your questions. It's not any of _your_ business anyways!" Inuyasha's snapping comment struck hard, but Kagome did not let it show.

"You're such a JERK!" She screeched into his sensitive ears, and he winced. "You're hiding something, but you know what, you don't _have_ to tell me." Though the words were understanding, Kagome's voice was laced with malice. "Do you know why _baka_? _Real_ friends would trust one another enough to tell them."

"Then maybe we ain't friends!" Inuyasha said without thinking, but his pride wouldn't let him take it back. Not even after Kagome's harsh intake of breath, before she pulled on a look that blatantly said, "I don't care."

"Fine then." Kagome said in clipped tones and she didn't speak to him for the rest of the day.

--

When nighttime came around, Kagome still hadn't said a single word to him, though at times he thought she was about to. This had always happened after she jerked out of a nap when she had been off-guard; even an unobservant hanyou like Inuyasha noticed she had to catch herself before she said anything. When she finally did speak, however, they were not words he wished to hear.

"Let's stay at that village." She left no room for argument, but then of course, Inuyasha didn't take heed of such things.

"No, we're continuing."

"Oh yeah?" Something about Kagome's voice made Inuyasha slow down near the village instead of taking the crossroads as he planned.

"Damnit." He muttered. _Why can't I stand up to her?_

**_Cause you love her, baka._** Inuyasha almost groaned as his inner voice started up; he always had trouble subduing his unconsciousness.

_So? Demons do NOT follow orders of women._

_**They also don't fall in love with humans.**_

_I don't care._

_**Then why do you care about following orders?**_

_I'M in charge damn it! No WRENCH is gonna boss ME around!_

_**I don't think people who talk to themselves should be in charge.**_

_WHAT?_

**_You realize that I am you, and therefore really YOU are thinking that you should comply with Kagome. Also,_** the voice paused after some consideration;**_ you're thinking you should apologize for before._**

_To hell with that idea! And why the hell does my 'inner voice' sound like Miroku?_

_**Speaking of, you should grope her the next time she gets on your back for travel. You should really take advantage of situations like that.**_

_Why you little - _

"Uhh, Inuyasha?"

Suddenly, Inuyasha snapped back to reality and his eyes focused back on Kagome who had already slid off his back. "What?" he asked, confused as to why she was standing in front of him, looking a little worried.

"You were just standing there… with a strange look on your face." She looked guiltily at her feet, blaming herself for his miserable mood.

Inuyasha realized he was blushing and looked away, embarrassed. "Whatever wrench. You owe me for letting you stay here tonight." Inuyasha folded his arms into his sleeves and started walking towards the houses.

Kagome seemed even more confused. "What, you mean, like a favor?"

"Yeah." He said gruffly. Inwardly he sighed. "That's what friends would do."

Catching his meaning, Kagome beamed at her silver-haired protector and ran to walk beside him, commenting on how beautiful the town was, and pointing out the stars as they starting coming out of the heavens.

--

Three door slams, and a shouting contest later, Kagome and Inuyasha ended up at the wealthiest place in the village. Kagome was beginning to appreciate Miroku's art, and was also starting to realize why he always targeted the wealthiest people around: they were usually more lenient and or gullible due to the amount of money they had. Oh, they also usually had demons in their houses. Go figure.

Luckily for them, there truly _was_ a demon residing in the house, and it was one of no initial harm so Inuyasha and Kagome had no problem seeking it out and terminating it, gaining them free passage into beds and warm meals.

"Arigoto," Kagome bowed. "Thank you for letting us stay here for the night. We really appreciate your hospitality." Inuyasha grunted.

"Oh, it is no problem at all after what you two did to that demon! I don't know what I would have done otherwise!" The old man said happily as he showed them to their rooms.

"Alright, this one will be for the young lady, and this for the boy." He referred to two opposite rooms at opposite ends of the long, long hall. Inuyasha's ears shot up.

"We're getting the same room, old man!" He screamed rudely.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried, shocked at his treatment to the kind old man who was lending them his home.

The man was shocked to, but for different reasons. "Are you suggesting that you stay in the same room with a pretty young maiden who is unattached and defenseless?" He looked appalled. "Unless you two are married, I cannot allow such... such… _disrespect_!" Kagome blushed at his words, but Inuyasha just scowled.

"Be quiet you old bag of bones! How the hell am I supposed to protect Kagome if we're in different rooms?"

"No, I simply cannot allow it!" The old man was quite brave, standing up to a half-demon over moral rights when he had as much chance as an ice cube in hell against Inuyasha in every way possible.

"Inuyasha, let it go!" Kagome said from her position near his elbow. "Just one night won't hurt."

Inuyasha turned to the girl with a mocking look. "Oh, so now you _don't_ want to be protected."

"I never said that!" Kagome frowned.

"Well, just don't complain to me if a demon attacks."

"Inu_yasha_!"

"Keh."

Knowing that that was his way of agreeing, Kagome thanked the man once again and entered her room. After the man was gone, Inuyasha came in also.

"You realize you aren't supposed to _be_ here." Kagome pointed out.

"I ain't sleeping yet." He said smugly. "I can stay in here as long as I want until your wimpy human body can't take the exhaustion anymore and drifts off to sleep."

"_Fine._" Kagome ceded. Then, eyeing his gooey shirt from the previous demon battle, "But you have to let me wash your shirt. It's disgusting!" Her nose wrinkled in distaste.

"What?" Inuyasha's jaw dropped. "No way in _hell_."

Lips pressed together in firm resolve. "Then get out."

"No."

"Oswa—"

"ALRIGHT!" Inuyasha took off the top layer and threw it at the young miko, who got up and asked one of the passing servants to bring her all the tools she needed.

After she ate, Kagome began to work on the blood stains, careful to not ruin the material in the process. Inuyasha, in the meantime, sat outside her room's outer door, staring out the stars. When Kagome was finished, she joined Inuyasha's star gazing.

They sat like that, side by side, for a few minutes before Kagome ventured into conversation again. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha." She said softly, turning her attention to his face. He didn't look at her.

"For what?" He asked.

"Butting into what wasn't my business before." Kagome now looked at her lap.

"Keh. Whatever, it doesn't matter. It's just not something I wanna talk about is all." His eyes didn't leave the night sky, but inside his heart was aching to look for her reaction.

"I'm sorry that you feel you can't tell me." Kagome said. "But it's alright, because you're allowed to have privacy. Real friends don't push."

He couldn't help it now; he looked strait into her eyes. She looked sad. "That's not it." He said simply. "I just can't say it now, not that I wouldn't say it. And sometimes… you gotta push." Kagome smiled at his words, even though he knew they weren't much. He was tempted to smile too, but instead he looked back up at the sky. When he felt the warmth of her hand clasp his own, he didn't pull away and squeezed back, readily accepting it. He enjoyed the contact.

Too bad he wasn't sure what it meant—friendship, or something more.

--

"Uhhh, Inuyasha?"

"What do you want?" He had been dozing while Kagome snacked on the leftovers of her food. He opened one golden eye to see her hovering over him.

"We have a slight problem…"

His other eye opened.

"Your shirt is kind of... gone."

He froze. "What. Did. You. Say." He ground out.

Kagome babbled through her nervousness. "I'm sorry Inuyasha! I'm sure we'll be able to find it by morning! It's possible that it was just placed somewhere to dry while we were outside." Kagome tried to act cheerful, but a tic was steadily growing in speed on his eyebrow.

"Kagome…" His voice was low and dangerous.

"Don't worry Inuyasha!" She was a little panicked by now. She did NOT want Inuyasha angry at her after they had just made up. And held hands. "I'll talk to the servants in the morning."

He glared up at her, threatening to lose his temper, which he probably would have if he wasn't so sleepy. "Damn it wrench." His eyes met hers.

"Please, Inuyasha." Her eyes begged him not to get mad.

"You better find it, woman." He growled. _Stupid, pretty eyes._ "And in the meantime, my favor's value is doubled."

"Favor?" Kagome asked quizzically, with a half-smile on her face.

"Yeah, you promised me one!" Now he was acting like a little kid who was being denied chocolate.

"Oh alright, what is it?" She tried to prepare herself for what was to come.

"I get to sleep in here."


End file.
